A Small Dose of Animal and Plant Toxins

• An Introduction to the Health Effects of Animal and Plant Toxins
  • Ancient Greek Athletes - "The Greek physician Galen is reputed to have prescribed 'the rear hooves of an Abyssinian ass, ground up, boiled in oil, and flavored with rose hips and rose petals' to improve performance."
  • 399 BCE Death of Socrates by Hemlock Charged with religious heresy and corrupting the morals of local youth. Active chemical is the alkaloid coniine which when ingested causes paralysis, convulsions and potentially death.
  • Bee Stings - A honey bee has about 150µg of poison, but only a small fraction is typically injected. The faster the stinger is removed the less the response.

Animal and Plant Toxins Dossier

Dossier - Animal Toxin

• Name: Animal Venoms and Poisons
  • Use: medicinal uses
  • Source: spiders, insects, snakes, lizards, fish, and frogs
  • Recommended daily intake: none (not essential)
  • Absorption: varies but can be very fast, e.g. bites
  • Sensitive individuals: children (small size), previously sensitized
  • Toxicity/symptoms: varies
  • Regulatory facts: none
  • General facts: long history of use and desire to avoid, often accompanied by fear of the animal
  • Environmental: global distribution, concern about expanding distribution to new areas
  • Recommendations: follow precautions for avoiding contact

Dossier - Pant Toxin

• Name: Plant
  • Use: medicinal uses
  • Source: wide variety of plants
  • Recommended daily intake: none (not essential)
  • Absorption: intestine, skin
  • Sensitive individuals: children (small size), previously sensitized
  • Toxicity/symptoms: varies
  • Regulatory facts: none
  • General facts: long history of use and desire to avoid
  • Environmental: global distribution, concern about expanding distribution to new areas
  • Recommendations: generally avoid; know the poisonous plants in area

Animal and Plant Toxins Chapter

• A Small Dose of Animal and Plant Toxins - chapter pdf

PowerPoint presentation

• A Small Dose of Animal and Plant Toxins - PowerPoint presentation or [pdf format] (0.4 mgb)

Arachnids (Scorpions, Spiders, Ticks)

Insects

Reptiles

Marine Animals

Effects on Skin

Gastrointestinal System

Cardiovascular System

Nervous system

Liver

Reproductive Effects

More Information and References

European, Asian, and international Agencies

• Amphibians and Reptiles of Europe (accessed: 16 June 2009).
  A large sample of European Amphibians and Reptiles.

North American Agencies

• Society For The Study Of Amphibians And Reptiles (SSAR) (accessed: 16 June 2009).
  SSAR, a not-for-profit organization established to advance research, conservation, and education concerning amphibians and reptiles.

• Health Canada - Natural Health Products Directorate (accessed: 16 June 2009).
  Natural Health Products Directorate works to "ensure that all Canadians have ready access to natural health products that are safe, effective, and of high quality, while respecting freedom of choice and philosophical and cultural diversity".

• U.S. Food and Drug Administration Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (accessed: 16 June 2009).
  Site has information on seafood health and safety issues.

• Northwest Fisheries Science Center's (NWFSC) Harmful Algal Bloom Program (accessed: 16 June 2009).
  NWFSC Harmful Algal Bloom Program, part of the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, provides information related to algal blooms.

• U.S. Food & Drug Administration Center for Food Safety & Applied Nutrition Foodborne Pathogenic Microorganisms and Natural Toxins Handbook - The "Bad Bug Book" (accessed: 16 June 2009).
  The "Bad Bug Book" contains extensive information on natural toxins either on the web or book can be downloaded.

Non-Government Organizations

• Natural Toxins Research Center (NTRC) - Texas A&M University System (accessed: 16 June 2009).
  NTRC provides global research, training, and resources that will lead to the discovery of medically important toxins found in snake venoms.

• Cornell University - Plants Poisonous to Livestock (accessed: 16 June 2009).
  This is "includes plant images, pictures of affected animals and presentations concerning the botany, chemistry, toxicology, diagnosis and prevention of poisoning of animals by plants and other natural flora (fungi, etc.)".

• Alternative Medicine Foundation, Inc, HerbMed® (accessed: 16 June 2009).
  "HerbMed® - an interactive, electronic herbal database - provides hyperlinked access to the scientific data underlying the use of herbs for health. It is an evidence-based information resource for professionals, researchers, and general public."

• American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC) (accessed: 16 June 2009).
  The AAPCC is a United States based organization of poison centers and interested individuals that coordinates information on common poisons.

• The Vaults of Erowid (accessed: 16 June 2009).
  The Vaults of Erowid web site contains information on wide variety of natural plants and chemicals.

References

• Handbook of Clinical Toxicology of Animal Venoms and Poisons
  by J. Meier (Editor), Julian White (Editor), Informa HealthCare, 768 pages, 1995.

• Venomous and Poisonous Animals: A Handbook for Biologists, Toxicologists and Toxinologists, Physicians and Pharmacists. by Dietrich Mebs, Medpharm 360 pages, 2002.

• MMWR (1997). Amanita phalloides Mushroom Poisoning - Northern California, June 6, 1997, Vol 46(22), p 489-491. (accessed: 16 June 2009).

• MMWR (2002). Neurologic Illness Associated with Eating Florida Pufferfish, 2002., April 19, 2002, Vol 51(15), p 321-323. (accessed: 16 June 2009).

• MMWR (1995). Epidemiologic Notes and Reports Jimson Weed Poisoning – Texas, New York, and California, 1994. January 27, 1995, Vol 44(3), p 41-44. (accessed: 16 June 2009).